Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Here you have some tips to help you study and get better grades in all your subjects. This list of tips was published by Julia G Jhonson at The Apple

1. Learn to focus while you work. Turn off the phone, music, and other distractions.2. Use your class time wisely so that you will not have as much work to do at home.3. Always do your homework. Record the assignments you have before you leave class.4. Write it down! Take notes in class and as you read.5. Do not delay learning. Learn the material the first time you see it.6. Get in the habit of quizzing yourself as you study.7. Don’t try to cram. Keeping up is far easier than frantically trying to catch up.8. Make and use flashcards.9. Get organized and stay that way.10. Believe in yourself. Have confidence that you can achieve your dreams.11. Review your class notes within 24 hours.12. Use colors to help you learn. Write on colored paper or use a bright ink or highlighter.13. “Looking it over” is a waste of time. Write it down, call it out to a friend, sing it, say it over and over…don’t just stare at the page and daydream.14. Use your biological clock to your advantage. Study when you are most alert.15. Plan your work and work your plan.16. Pay attention when your teacher talks.17. Make up your work right away when you have been absent.18. Ask for help when you need it.19. Take good notes in class and while you read. Then, study those notes.20. When you study notes, mark them up. Underline or circle key points. Draw arrows to connect facts…whatever works for you.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Today is Chinita's day! What a Day! Let's celebrate our lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquira and visit her at her house La Basilica. Let's adore her and ask her to protect us and look after us.

November 18th is a very important day in our state. Today there will be many activities all around the state and specially here in Maracaibo. People will remember and rejoice in Chinita's honor.

Reading on wikipedia, we can find her story:

An old lady made a living by washing other people's clothes, a job she did every morning at the shores of the lake. On November 18th 1709 she took a bulk of clothes, and as usual, went to the lake to start washing them. This old lady was at her chores when she saw a wooden board floating towards her. She picked it up thinking that it might be of some use. When she finished her work, she went home carrying the clothes, the board and a small vase with fresh water. She then placed the board on top of the vase. Then, she noticed a small figure in the board but couldn't tell what it was.She fell asleep, and when she áwoke up it was already late and dark. She decided to go to a local grocery store to buy some candles. On her way back a small gathering of people had formed outside her house, and after coming closer she noted that her home was filled with light. After entering she and some of the neighbors witnessed the small wooden board floating in the air surrounded by light with a bright crisp image of the Virgin Mary. At this, everyone was amazed and called the event a miracle.

Since that day the street where she lived was renamed "El Milagro" which means Miracle in Spanish, and to this day it is one of the most important streets in the neighborhood of "El Saladillo" in the city of Maracaibo. To this day the wood with the image on it can still be seen in the Basilica in Maracaibo.Legend has it that the government decided that the wood with the image belonged in the capital city, Caracas. So they ordered it moved. As the soldiers following the order carried the image away from Maracaibo it got heavier and heavier until finally no one could lift it. They returned it to the basilica in Maracaibo where it has remained with the belief that no one can remove it.

The people of Maracaibo celebrate the Festival of La Chinita in November with an all night party. One of the main city streets, Bella Vista, is closed for several blocks and the city puts lights along the whole street. The lights stay up for months, until after Christmas. There are stages set up, sponsored by the government and businesses around the city. There are firework shows and street vendors, and hundreds of thousands of people line the streets and celebrate all night.

Also, one important part of the celebration is selecting a beauty queen for the fair. Here you can see the candidates of this year. This year's winner was Leilany Nava.

Of course, sports are present in the celebration. There is one important game today. EL juego de Baseball de la Chinita. Last year we won... let's pray our lady to help us today... Chinita hacenos el milagrito de que ganen las Aguilas otra vez..... God bless our Chinita and our baseball team Aguilas del Zulia. Go team!!!!

Another big thing in the Feria is the bull fight (La Corrida de Toros)... I personally don't like it but a lot of people like going to the bullfight ring and yell "Ole". This is a tradition that comes from Spain and in my opinion it is horrible... I'm against torture and violence. But that's just me.Now, what's your opinion about our fair? Did you enjoy our fair this year? Tell us what you did to enferiarte? Where did you go? how was it? What did you like the most? What you didn't like... if there's something you didn't like...

Looking forward to reading all the stories from this year celebration.

And Chinita....... Gloria a ti casta Señora! Happy Day!

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed working on this posting in honor to my chinita!

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Last October 24th (Rafael Urdaneta's birthday) 800 students from Urbe walked for two hours and ten minutes a distance of 8 kilometers to participate in the XV Urbe 2007 Marathon. Students walked on Delicias Ave., Universidad Ave., Bella Vista Ave. and Circunvalación No. 2 to finish back in URBE 2 hours later. The idea is to support health and the practice of sports. This activity was promoted by Direccion de Deportes. We want to thank you guys for helping our students and personnel at URBE to stay healthy.

Checking the Dirección de Deportes site I found out that in URBE we have different sport clubs: dancing therapy or bailoterapia, aikido, basketball, ping pong, softball, volleyball, baseball, soccer, taebox, chess, and kicking ball. Visit their site and find out when those clubs get to together and join them.

Here you can see a slide show of the activity.

Now, what about you? Do you play any sports? what sports do you like or don't like? Do you watch sports on TV?

Hi, there!This is to let you know that the dates to register for the Leveling test (pruebas extraordinarias) and the Intensive courses (cursos intensivos) are already posted at URBE's ESL page, if you are interested in taking these exams or registering to the intensive course go there and get all the info you need.

A little bit of History.... to inspire people who love freedom, pluralism and living in peace! Read the following entrance and check on the new vocabulary. I took this from Answers.com, a great source of information... it's like an encyclopedia that get references from several encyclopedias...

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Hello, my dear students! I got this Invitation from Ruth Vilmi, an excellent teacher who dedicates to help students with their writing. If your level of English is upper-intermediate or advanced English, you are invited to join!

This is what she wrote......

English course starting now - free for this round

Hi Online Colleagues and Friends!

My online IWE English course is starting right now, this week, and lasting six weeks. If you are interested in joining for free and writing with Japanese, French and possibly some Argentinian and German students, please register http://www.writeit.fi/sys/ and join Round 55. Try the test section first, and then write an introduction telling about yourself.

I've started a forum with a message called 'Finnish and international students write your introductions here'. You simply reply to my message. Others have started so you get get ideas from them.

I can discuss this more later, but please send an introduction this week if you wish to join. We're a bit short of European partners for the Japanese now.

If you have a class of students with upper-intermediate or advanced English skills they can join too free-of-charge for this round - but everyone who registers must be committed to doing the tasks for six weeks..

Monday, November 12, 2007

Last thurdsday 8th of November we had our free hugs fun. This is the video.. it's a little long but we didn't want to leave anybody out. What do you think of the video? For those who were there with us... Did you like giving hugs and getting hugs back? Would you do it next semester? For the ones who weren't there.... close your eyes and now imagine the people in the video hugging you.... a Virtual hug is better than nothing.. it isn't as powerful as the real hug but ........ for sure it made you smile. A warm hug for everybody.... this video is dedicated to all of us... we need more hugs in our lives.

Remenber you don't have to wait for a teacher to tell you about all of this... go ahead go find someone to hug!

Sunday, November 11, 2007

On December 20 2006, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed a landmark Resolution recognizing diabetes as a chronic, debilitating and costly disease. The Resolution designates World Diabetes Day as a United Nations Day to be observed every year starting in 2007.

The UN Resolution makes World Diabetes Day stronger than ever and provides the opportunity for a significant increase in the visibility of the campaign and an increase in government and media participation on or around November 14. The Resolution will ensure even greater reach for awareness-raising activities throughout the diabetes world.

The theme of this year's World Diabetes Day campaign is Diabetes in Children and Adolescents.Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood. It can strike children at any age, including pre-school children and even toddlers. Yet diabetes in children is often diagnosed late, when the child has diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), or it is misdiagnosed completely. In many parts of the world, insulin, the main life-saving medication that children with diabetes need to survive, is not available (or is available but remains inaccessible for reasons of economy, geography or constraints on supply). As a consequence, many children die of diabetes, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Those closest to the child - family, school staff, family doctor - may not be aware of the ominous signs. The World Diabetes Day 2007 and 2008 campaigns set out to challenge this and firmly establish the message that ‘no child should die of diabetes'.

Venezuela is also participating in this world campaign. On November 14, a lot of buildings around the world are going to be lighten up with blue lights and the logo of the campaign to raise awareness on this terrible disease.Those are the buildings or landmarks that are getting blue next wednesday. Also, Hospital Tower at the Centro Medico Docente la Trinidad, in Caracas

What do you know about diabetes? do you or any member of your family have it? Is this campaign important?

Sunday, November 4, 2007

People, people! We are celebrating hugs this week! Abrazo en Familia is a tradition in Venezuela that takes place during the second week of November. Catholic schools all over the country celebrate this wonderful festivity talking about the meaning of living in a FAMILY!

This is a great opportunity to hug everybody. Here, in URBE! This week students and teachers from the ESL Center will be emulating Juan Mann and his brighten a day campaign of FREE HUGS! Get ready to hug each other and celebrate Abrazo en Familia Week.

All you have to do is to stand up with arms wide open and hug or hug back members of this family.... URBE Family! Happy Free Hug Week to everybody! We are going to make a video and take lots of photos to post here. Hope to see you around! Everybody is invited! Bring your FREE HUGS sign!

I don't mind where you come fromAs long as you come to meI don't like illusions I can't seeThem clearly

I don't care no I wouldn't dareTo fix the twist in youYou've shown me eventuallyWhat you'll do

I don't mind...I don't care...As long as you're here

Go ahead tell me you'll leave againYou'll just come back runningHolding your scarred heart in handIt's all the sameAnd I'll take you for who you areIf you take me for everythingDo it all over againIt's all the same

Hours slide and days go byTill you decide to comeAnd in between it always seems too longAll of a sudden

And I have the skill, yeah I have the willTo breathe you in while I canHowever long you stayIs all that I am[ All The Same lyrics found on http://www.completealbumlyrics.com/ ]

I don't mind...I don't care...As long as you're here

Go ahead tell me you'll leave againYou'll just come back runningHolding your scarred heart in handIt's all the sameAnd I'll take you for who you areIf you take me for everythingDo it all over againIt's always the same

Wrong or rightBlack or whiteIf I close my eyesIt's all the same

In my lifeThe compromiseI close my eyesIt's all the same

Go ahead say it you're leavingYou'll just come back runningHolding your scarred heart in handIt's all the sameAnd I'll take you for who you areIf you take me for everythingDo it all over againIt's all the same

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Something to think about!

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS."

Mahatma Gandhi

"I write entirely to find out what I am thinking, what I am looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear"Joan Didion